The 79th Hunger Games
by Sirenthegreat
Summary: What if Katniss hadn't survived? What if the rebellion never happened? This story follows Josephine Rolfe as she tries to survive the Hunger games. if you want to use my story or characters for anything please message me
1. Chapter 1

I sit on my stool by the window watching the sunrise over the glistening blue sea. Who could imagine that a sight so beautiful could come on such a grim occasion, the reaping. The morning air has its usual chill to it but yet my hands are sweating bullets. I had made it through my first one safely but who was to say that this year would be different, my name had been entered seven times this year for tesserae as well as three time for being fourteen.

"Josephine!" my mum calls from her room, "come here!" I jump up, temporarily shoving my feelings aside and jog into her room.

"Yeah" I ask My eyes making their way to a chair next to her bed, a pale blue dress is draped over the back.

"I picked out this for you today" she smiles, "and I ran a bath, quickly go get clean."

I nod and hastily moved to the bathroom, washing all the salt and sand out of my blonde hair and trimming my nails. I slip on the dress and brush all the knots out of my hair, looking in the mirror I could barely recognise myself.

"You look nice" my Dad smiles as he walked through the door, I turn to him a pleading look in my eyes.

"Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"I don't want to look nice, not for the reaping."

"Oh" he sighs and hugged me "you'll be fine, i'm sure of it." I wipe away a tear and clench my fists.

"Yeah I know." I look at the ground and then back up at my dad, forcing a smile, he returns it, turning swiftly on his heel and exiting the room.

I walk over to the window and look back out at the sea, the sun is fully out now and the sea shines and glimmers, what if I could just jump into it, swim away and never come back.

"Come on Josie" my mum smiles, "the reaping should be starting soon, we should get going" My heart begins to beat hard in my chest as I take my mums hand and we walk out the door.

The town is beginning to buzz with people. young boys and girls are gathered in the main square. I line up behind a peacekeeper and check myself in, then join the other district four females in a huge crowd.

I wait for what seemed like eternity when finally the man from the capitol that runs the reaping each year in district four comes to the stage, he runs through all the usual stuff like the video, the speech from the mayor, and finally he approaches the glass bowl with the girls names in it.

My legs started to shake, my whole life could be in the hands of one action, one movement, that predicts my future. The man, Vincenzo Lucifer, slowly folded his fingers over a tiny slip of paper, right at the bottom, I hold my breath as he walks back to the microphone. The whole square is in complete silence, the only thing i can hear is Vincenzo's hard breathing, with his mouth too close to the microphone. He brings the paper up to his eyeline and slowly unfolds it, this moment seems to take slight pause while he processes what the paper says feels like eternity.

He inhales a huge breath and looks up at the crowd. I never noticed his eyes and how piercing they are, almost a yellow green, so bright they might glow in the dark.

"Josephine Rolfe" he smiles.

My throat dries out, girls all around me turn to look, I feel the prick of tears as a peacekeeper takes my arms and gruffly shoves me along the path to the podium.

"Ah yes" Vincenzo says "Come here darling."

I continue to walk, looking around frantically, praying someone will volunteer for me, but the crowd remains silent. I climb the stairs and look out onto the crowd, finding my parents but they won't look at me, only at the ground.

Vincenzo walks over to the other glass bowl and draws out a name, he walks back to the microphone and reads out the name of some kid who i've never heard of before, he has red hair and blue eyes similar to mine and he's crying, I feel a stab of emotion for him, "He's only twelve and he's going to die" I think.

"Can we have a round of applause for this year tributes!" Vincenzo cries, a quiet series of claps comes from the audience, Vincenzo beams and ushers us inside.


	2. Chapter 2

I sit in a room, waiting. I can hear the muffled cries coming from the room next to me, I can tell its the other tribute and his family. I wait for my parents to come, I wait and wait and still they don't.

A peacekeeper barges in and grabs my arm, "time to go" he tells me.

"No!" I say "my parents didn't come! You don't understand!" he clamps his hand over my mouth and marches me out as I begin to sob, I barely even remember the ride to the train and getting on, all I remember is getting on and running straight to my room.

Hours later I emerge to see Vincenzo, the boy whose name I learnt was Carl and Jeremy (our mentor) all staring at the TV.

"Josephine -" Vincenzo begins.

"It's Josie" I retort, not a hint of respect in my voice.

"Josie then, you're just in time to see the rest of the reapings."

I sit down and silently watched the reaping, as usual district ones tributes were volunteers, a girl with brown hair and blue eyes called Sienna hadn't wasted any time, she had volunteered as soon as the reaping started. District two offered up two more volunteers including a girl with long black hair and dark eyes who caught my attention very much. District three gave two more and so it continued, district after district giving children to be stolen and put in an arena to fight to the death.

"Are you hungry?" Carl timidly asks "I had dinner, the foods really good."

"I believe I have lost my appetite" I growl and storm off to my room, feeling repulsed that something as normal as dinner could exist at this awful time.

Hours pass and I don't want to admit that i'm hungry. Yet the ache in my stomach grows and grows until finally the scent of cooking turkey and roast vegetables gets the better of me. After living on a diet of seafood these different dishes were bordering on irresistable. I skulk out of my room and join the others at the table, silently I begin to eat, ignoring the stares I am receiving.

"Decided to join us then?" Jeremy sighs "you had us worried."

I grunted and kept on eating, intending to finish as quickly as possible and go back to my room.

"Josie, we'll be at the capitol by morning, you could do to know a bit before that happens."

I turn away and don't respond, I don't want to talk to any of these people.

"Come on!" comes Carl's voice "it's not that hard to listen."

"Fine" I huff, turning to look at Jeremy "anything you want to tell me, do it now."

"Great" he sighs "when we get to the capitol try to appear friendly, you want to get people to like you so you can get sponsors. Try to make alliances but don't trust anyone, also -"

I wave my hand in dismissal and shove my chair aside, getting up to walk to my room Vincenzo calls after me.

"Darling please listen!"

"Why Vincenzo?" I hiss over my shoulder "why take advice when I know i'm going to die anyway."

Then I storm off.

The night passed slowly, whenever I drift off to sleep I wake up again and in horror realise it wasn't all a bad dream, I cry I pray and beg any type of higher being to let me wake up back home in district four, with my parents at my side soothing me back to sleep, assuring me that all was well.

I wake up with a start, confused and weary I look around. Suddenly yesterday comes flooding back to me, the reaping, my parents and the other district four team. I swing my legs out the bed, letting my bare soles touch the cold floor. Hastily I rush around, getting dressed and brushing my hair, I keep on thinking about Jeremys advice from yesterday "you want to get people to like you." I look in the mirror and shudder at my clothes, i'm wearing the same dress that I wore for the reaping and it has a huge stain down the front.

I leave my room and go to the lounge, staring out the window I watch as we draw closer and closer to the capitol, to my fate.

Carl walks into the room and offers me a weak smile, I turn away, catching glimpses of tall buildings on the horizon. My heart begins to beat and small beads of sweat form on my forehead.

"We're here" Vincenzo says as he walks in beside Jeremy, "impressed?"

I give a small nod and turn back to the window, we're pulling into a station, packed with people all jumping up and down and screaming.

"Wave" Jeremy commands, for some reason I feel it's the right thing to do, so I give my nicest smile and wave out the window. The crowd screams even louder and becomes a blur of colour.


	3. Chapter 3

Then Carl and I are escorted to our stylists. My stylist team wash and wax me, plucking my eyebrows and brushing every last knot out of my hair, I slip on a bathrobe and get taken to a room where a young woman is sitting, she has pink hair in a clean bob, purple eye and lip makeup and wears a plain black dress, she doesn't smile as I walk in, only stares.

"My name is Laura Intinio, i'm not your friend, only here to make to you look pretty" She looks me up and down "if that's even possible" she finishes.

"Nice to meet you too" I mutter as I sit down on her table.

"What district are you? Four?"

"Yes." I reply, I've already decided I don't like this woman. She claps her hands together, "easy!" she says, I have just the dress.

"I feel ridiculous" I say, brow furrowed as I spin around, taking in this… thing that she has dressed me in. The skirt flows and billows in the breeze, it is made of multiple layers of aqua lace and the occasional rhinestone. The top fades from aqua to pastel purple, it seems like it doesn't end, only fades into my skin. My hair has been lightly curled and I have blue lip and eye makeup, lathered in white glitter. I also have blue strappy heels on, so high I wobble around every time I take a step.

"Stop being so dramatic" she sighs as she begins to file her nails "I made you look fabulous."

"I don't feel fabulous" I huff "I don't even want to be here!" In a split second she is up, hand clasped around my mouth and looking around the room, terrified.

"Josephine you mustn't say such things!" she hisses "who knows who can be listening!" With all my strength I pry her fingers off me.

"What, don't speak the truth?" she raises her hand and brings it hard across my face. I roar and drag my manicured fingers across hers, she screams and I scream back "I hate this place! I hate this place!" She grabs me and shoves me against the wall, I spit in her face and her makeup runs a little.

"In all my years I have never met anyone like you!" she yells "now little brat, pull yourself together and get out there!"

At first I don't want to, I want to keep on fighting her but it slowly dawns on me that it's no use, that one way or another i'm going into the games, i'm going to die.

I go limp and crumple to the floor, tears streak my cheeks and I begin to sob.

"Josephine…" she begins but goes silent, I curl up and lie there.

"I want to go home." I whisper "please Laura, take me home."

Laura reaches down and takes my hands, pulling me up I see the scratches I have made on her face and feel a wave of guilt.

"You know I can't do that Josephine" she tells me "but i'll tell you what, if you go into the games and treat the other tributes like you just treated me, you just might."

Laura cleans up my makeup and sews on some more rhinestones because a few fell off, she tidies my hair and puts a small clip with a dolphin on it in.

"Thank you" I say to her, gathering more and more affection for her by the minute.

"Ready!" she claps "get out there and slay!" I allow a small laugh and turn to the door. Laura walks me out and i'm escorted to the main square where the parade will take place, I see Carl off in the distance and wave to him, he looks surprised but then smiles and waves back. Now I can see the other tributes in the flesh, a girl from district ten catches my eye, she has a kind smile and brown curly hair, she's dressed in a grass green dress that comes to just above her knees and knee high strappy boots.

"Four" someone says, I turn to see a girl with big blue eyes, shoulder length dirty brown hair and lots of moles standing there, I immediately recognise her as the district seven female, she looks only a little older than I, perhaps only a year.

"Seven" I reply, raising an eyebrow. She looks me up and down, smiles and walks off, her brown dress dragging behind her.


	4. Chapter 4

"And now ladies and gentleman of the capitol, introducing this years tributes!" Everyone scrambles to there carriages, I climb into mine being careful not to snag the fabric and quickly pat my hair down, Carl looks as if he might wet himself. I swallow a laugh and instead focus on looking straight ahead and smiling.

The carriages jolt into action, I notice the district one tribute Sienna who is dressed from head to toe in glittering jewels grinning as the announcer yells out "district one!"

I listen to the crowd go ballistic, screaming, shouting, whooping, it's as if they're happy about this.

"District four!" the announcer yells, my heart beats fast and Carl lets out a small squeal. I clench my fists and grit my teeth, adrenaline pumps through me and I try my very hardest not to throw up.

The capitol screams even louder, I look around at the ecstatic citizens, one man in the back with a fluro green afro is on the verge of vomiting.

Finally the carriage comes to a slow and we disembark. Carl is shaking but looks happy, the other carriages come after us and I watch as finally the district twelve one pulls up, a girl with jet black hair that flows behind her steps out, I think her name is Jenene or Jade or something.

The girl catches my eye, gives a polite wave and starts talking to someone from district two.

"You really killed it out there" Jeremy's voice comes. I look over my shoulder and give a reluctant smile.

"Yeah it went better than expected." I reply to him, he laughs

"I met your stylist, she seems to have taken quite a liking to you."

"Yeah she's nice."

"Good, we should leave" he tells me, gesturing over his shoulder I see Sienna staring at me, her hand twitching as if she's holding an invisible sword.

"I want to talk to her" I say, "she seems interesting."

"Do you want to die?" he hisses, "we should go, now!" Jeremy says gesturing.

"Why not?" I ask looking at him.

"Don't trust one or three, remember that." Jeremy says, he takes my hand and I let him walk me over to the elevator. Carl follows us, we enter and press the button marked "four" then wait for the doors to close.

"Hold the door" comes a foreign voice, I hear feet beating on the ground and to Jeremys horror, Sienna walks in.

The doors close and we stand there, awkwardly as we slowly ascend. I can't help but admire Sienna's outfit. The sparking diamonds, rubies and sapphires glimmer just like the morning light on the sea back in four. I want to compliment her but Jeremy's strong grip on my shoulder tells me otherwise. The doors open for flour one and Sienna smiles menacingly.

"I hope your ready for the arena four" she snickers "perhaps just save yourself the effort and slit your throat early."

I choke and step back, Siena steps out of the elevator and walks off without looking back. I look up at Jeremy whose eyes are wide and mouth open, Carl looks like he might wet himself again. The doors slide shut and we stand in silence, clearly dumbfounded by what just happened.


	5. Chapter 5

The following day training begins, I get up early and dress in standard jeans and shirt. Carl joins me in the elevator as we make our way down to ground floor. "Welcome this year's tributes to the annual hunger games, in a week 23 of you will be dead and one victor alone shall remain, this is decided by skill, endurance and survival skills, let's just hope some of you possess these." The woman dismisses us and I watch the careers run straight over to the weapons station, I, on the other hand, decide to meander of to the camouflage station. I pick up some mud and begin to spread it over my arm. When I notice someone else has joined me. In my head I begin to chant "please not Sienna, please not Sienna." I look up, it's not Sienna. Neive, the girl from seven Sits down next to me and picks up a brush. I watch as she carefully strokes some red paint on herself. Her head snaps up and looks at me, I quickly look back at my own arm and pretend to be concentrating but it's too late. "Morning four" she smiles "how are you?" "Great" I mutter. "And how are you enjoying the capitol?" I look up "oh it's just wonderful, we only get seafood in four, and barely any, so it's amazing tasting all these new things!" I stop myself from getting too excited and look back down at my arm. "I feel you, in seven the food was bland, huge iced cakes and exotic gelatos were completely out of the question." she continues to stroke her arm, creating amazing flowers and roses, covering her arm in colours and patterns. After a few minutes slopping mud over my arm, i move on to the compulsory activities, which includes a set of sweaty monkey bars that seem too easy to fall off, and some knife and spear throwing. I see the girl from twelve, she is on the parkour station, and jumps and runs very fast, i can only imagine how she will beat almost everyone at the cornucopia. I catch myself staring, and decide to go to the poisonous plant section, where neive stands pressing like crazy, getting everything right. When she's finished i approach her, "Wow your really good at that" i point to the station "Thanks" she nods her head looking down at her feet. We stand there contemplating what to say and ask, that wouldn't bring up bad vibes. Our awkward silence gets interrupted by the instructor woman blowing a horn indicating us it's lunch time. Carl sits next to me, along with Neive and her district partner, a tall boy with pitch black hair, he looks about sixteen years old, lukas. We all stuff our food in, tired from our training. When we're finished carl turns to lukas and puts a big smile on his face, "Do you have a favorite activity in the training space?" even though carl has a secret talent for small talk lukas keeps his head down and merely shrugs. Neive looks at carl in an apologetic manner, and carl shakes his head indicating not to worry. I make a mental decision not to trust lukas. A week passes and soon the training has drawn to a close, I sit in the waiting room as the tributes are called one by one to be assessed. "Josephine Rolfe, district four." My heart hammers as I push myself up and stroll into the room where my judges await. "Josephine Rolfe." I say as I walk up to the elevated platform. The judges quickly stop talking as I ready myself. I've had all week to think about this and yet im shaking so fiercely im worried I might accidentally throw myself sideways. "District four." I can feel Seneca Crane's hard stare boring into me Trying to shake of the uneasy feeling I walk to a nearby station and pick up a long spear. I turn it over in my hands, finding the primary weight source and getting used to its smooth cast iron handle. I cast my gaze around the room and eventually it lands on a practice dummy. Now i'm concentrating, breathe in, breathe out, eyes up, feet firm… I pause for a second, swallowing my nerves… then I charge. I run at top speed towards the dummy, lift the spear over my head and throw it. It spins elegantly through the air making a high pitched whistling sound. Then it slams straight into the dummy's chest, it flies back and hits a wall, the spear sticking out of its back and into the wall itself. "Wow" I whisper under my breath. I'm impressed with myself. With new confidence I grin broadly as I watch the judges nods of approval, they dismiss me as I skip back out and into the waiting room. "How did it go?" someone asks me, I turn to see Lukas standing there. He pushes his dark hair out of his eyes, despite his ravishing good looks I remember my mental note to not trust him and stare at him quizzically. "You talk to me now?" "How did it go?" he repeats, taking a step closer. Suddenly i'm scared of him , he's three years older, stronger and faster than me. I turn around and speed walk out the room, trying to make as much distance between us as possible. The days pass by, slow and drawn out. The training continues but my mind is elsewhere, the scores. "How do you think you did?" I ask Neive out of the blue one afternoon, we're sitting on a stool beside the parkour area. "What?" she asks through pants. I watch as she wipes a bit of sweat off her brow "I don't know, I stood in the middle of the dummies and swung my axe around." "And…" "Well the judges looked impressed, how about you, what did you do?" "Spear throwing" I reply. "Cool." There's an awkward silence. "Well the scores are out tonight" Neive says "so I guess we'll find out soon enough." We sit on the couch, Carl, Jeremy, Laura, Vincenzo and I. I've never seen Vincenzo so nervous, I guess he really cares about our scores. The TV flickers to life and any hushed chatter that may have been happening before is swiftly cut off. Ceaser appears on the screen sporting his usual huge smile, "Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the scoring for the ninety eight annual hunger games!" Now i'm paying attention, Sienna is up first and for some reason i'm very anxious to see her score. "From district one, Jameth Harper, with a score of… ten." I look at the district one males serious face as a ten circles around him. I silently laugh as I imagine him writhing because he didn't get a twelve. "From district one, Sienna Lawson-Coffa, with a score of… eleven." "Wow" Vincenzo sighs "an eleven." I look to him and see envy in his eyes and I suddenly realise how badly he wants to be upgraded to district one. "Vincenzo -" I begin. He shushes me. "From district two, Samuel Jults, with a score of… six." Ceaser looks back down at his notes and then the district two girl comes on. I remember at the reaping, she looked terrified as she clutched her sisters hand, now I realise why she volunteered, so there was no chance of her sister getting called. "From district two, Anchita Gurung, with a score of… five." I feel a rush of pity for her and decide there and then to give everything it takes for her to go back home. If I don't win these games then I want her to. The district three tributes come and pass with decent scores, then it's our turn. "From district four, Carlos Sinjede, with a score of…" I swear the silence is longer than all the others, Ceaser looks at the screen and says. "Seven." "That's good Carl" Jeremy smiles, Carl looks proud and I give him a high five. Now it's my turn. "From district four, Josephine Rolfe with a score of… ten!" I throw my hands in the air and let out a victory cry. "Nice one Josie!" Carl cries. "thanks " I beam. The other tributes scores pass by, but i'm not concentrating. I just can't stop thinking about my ten, I feel I might burst with pride. "From district seven." My ears prick up and I quickly gather myself and concentrate. "Lukas sage, with a score of… four." I laugh to myself, Lukas won't like that. "From district seven, Neive Tayton, with a score of… nine." "Nice one" I whisper, imagining how Neive might be reacting right now. We watch the other scores, district eight does quite well as well as the twelve female, whose name I learn is Jenny. Vincenzo greets me with open arms, literally, "How was your training? I hope your not too tired, we don't want you to fall asleep in the interview!" he walks down to the couch where jeremy is enjoying a bowl of pistachios. "Yes how was the training you two? Did you find any possible allies?" he turns to me and carl, applying his full attention. I shrug and look down at my knobbly knees. "What about Neive and lukas from seven?" he says looking at me, "Neive was nice, but i don't trust lukas." i say "No one said Neive was going to stick with lukas, at the reaping they didn't seem to know each other." he reasons "Yeah but if it comes down to it, she might choose him over us. I mean, imagine killing me and then going back to four and facing everyone!" i start to get aggressive, but my emotions from the reaping all the way to training have caught up with me, so i embrace it, "this is life or death! Every decision counts!" i know i overreacted, so i don't wait for anyone's response, and storm off to my room 


	6. Chapter 6

A few hours later vincenzo knocks on my door with my prep team. Im dressed in slim dress that exaggerates my shape, that shimmers like the aqua water in the summer, the sleeves have white lace along with the rim of the bottom, and the neck. When I walk or spin around, the dress magically swishes and flows like waves, and the white foam appears in the layers. Laura pins the dolphin pin over my heart.

"You look stunning" she smiles, I smile back. I don't care that she was mean before, at least I have someone I can call a friend of sorts here.

"Laura" I start, "about before, i'm really sorry -" she shushes me and smiles.

"No need to apologize, I would have reacted the same." she looks slightly uncomfortable.

"You must dismiss my behaviour before, I hadn't had my coffee."

I laugh, "i've never had coffee." She pretends to look shocked.

"Well that won't do at all! We'll have to change that before sending you into the games."

We both laugh and she grabs my hands.

"Your going to do so well tonight!" she hugs me and I accept her embrace, hugging her back.

Carl joins me in the elevator and we begin our slow descent to the ground floor. He is dressed in a black suit with an aqua tye. I smile at him which he happily returns.

"You nervous?" I ask him.

"Yeah, a little" he admits. "I never was the confident type."

"I'm sure you'll do great."

"Thanks."

We arrive on the ground floor and we begin our short walk to the interview area, Carl waves me off as he runs to walk with a boy from elleven.

"Hi!" someone calls, I see the girl from ten running towards me.

"Oh…" I begin "hey."

She catches up with me and smiles.

"I'm Ava, district ten."

"Josie" I reply "district four."

"Wow" she gushes, looking me up and down "you look amazing!"

I take a good look at ava. She's wearing a forest green dress that comes down to her knees, she's wearing knee high fur boots and a fur shawl over her shoulders. Her hair is in a very fancy braid and her makeup looks mostly natural aside her dark matte brown lips.

"Is that real horse fur?" I ask her, she shudders.

"Yes, it's disgusting right?"

"No, no you look amazing."

'Thank you" she smiles.

"Hey Josie, hi ten!" I see Neive walking towards us wearing a black dress plaited with bold silver leaves, similar leaves have been stuck all through her hair which is in some sort of complicated ponytail.

"How are you guys doing -"

"Well how sweet..."

I whip around and see that Sienna has been following us. Despite her menacing smile she looks painstakingly beautiful, dressed from head to toe in shining opalite and moonstones. Her hair looks like it's been entwined with gold.

'Sienna?" Neive asks.

"It seems four, ten and seven have made an alliance." she spits "well I'm sure that will turn out well."

"Rack off!" I yell at her "no one asked your opinion!"  
"Ohh" she laughs "feisty are we?"

Ava pokes her tongue out at her and crosses her arms.

"Well" she clasps her hands together, "I do hope that no one gets to you before I do, i'm going to enjoy drawing my knife into your chest."

"Not if I swing my axe into your ugly - ass face first" Neive growls "dumb whore."

Sienna spits at our feet and walks off, head high.


	7. Chapter 7

We've reached the interview area where Jeremy is waiting for me. "Hurry, what took you so long?" "Nothing." I mutter. "Quickly you're up next." I rush to the front of the line just as my name is called. I walk on, i'm so nervous that a smile seems impossible, but when i see the huge crowd, shouting my name at the top of their voices, whistling, applauding, screaming even, a huge smile forces its way onto my face. I see the presenter, Caesar Flickerman beckoning me over. "Josie, Josie where to begin…" he starts once we've settled into the chairs and the crowd has quieted down. I offer him a smile which he returns. "How is life in the capitol then?" he asks, I think for a second. "Very different from back home," I turn my gaze to the crowd, smiling nervously as i scan the faces. I hope i look collected and confident but on the inside i'm screaming. "I usually go for a swim everyday, so it's quite strange being dry twenty four seven." I clap my hand over my mouth "oh god, did that sound dirty? Ceaser did it sound dirty?" "Only a little." I want to scream at myself but suddenly I find the crowd roaring with laughter. "Don't look so alarmed" Ceaser laughs "we know you didn't mean it like that." "Well yeah, the Capitols different…" I search my mind for an example but im so wrought with nerves all I can think about is when i'm able to get off this god - damn stage. "I guess everyone dresses differently, and the foods much nicer." "I thought we were stating opinions, not facts." The crowd roars again. I try to laugh too but i'm so paranoid that all I can muster is a girlish giggle. "Now." Ceaser turns to me, his expression suddenly solemn, "the reaping." I swallow a lump in my throat as all the earlier emotions come back to me. "How did it feel having your name called?" I'm silent for a second, not knowing what to say. Do I tell them how I really feel? Do I lie? "When I was nine," I start "I had a cat called koi." The crowd is silent now, tentatively listening, hanging on my every word. "One day he went missing, we walked around all day calling his name, but no luck." I make my eyes a bit wider and blink, as if trying to restrain tears for an extra effect. "A couple of days passed and finally, three moons later we found him, a spear mark on him with blood soaking all the sand around him." I hear the crowd shudder and decide to continue on, swallowing a fake sob. "When they called my name, it felt like what I imagined Koi felt, when the spear pierced his heart." I finish dramatically. There is silence. "Heart wrenching" Ceaser sighs. He takes my hand, lifts me up and shouts "Josie! District four!" The crowd goes wild again, applauding and screaming, I smile, knowing that i've managed to get some sponsors. Now it's Carl's turn. He goes relatively well, though its seems he's just answering the questions with the most obvious and simple answer he can. it's not very interesting. I worry for a moment that Carl might not get any sponsors, but i stop myself. I have enough to worry about already without Carl in the mix, and it isn't even my problem anyway. "You did so well!" Ava cries as we walk back "quit beating yourself up!" "I'm just not sure, that story about the cat wasn't even true, should I have lied?" "Of course, you did the right thing." I smile at her but something's caught her eye. "Hey Ava!" someone yells, I see the district twelve girl waving and smiling at her. Ava looks up at me. "Go" I tell her, "you walked with me on the way here." Ava quickly thanks me and runs ahead. I walk by myself for a while, replaying tonight's events in my mind when a hand grabs my shoulder. I freeze. "You did well tonight." Shit. Lukas smiles at me and before I know what's happening i'm shoved against the wall, his face inches from mine. "I thought we should get to know each other" he whispers, his finger traces my waist, I feel a wave of nausea. I desperately try to fend him off but he's much stronger than me. so I scream. He clamps a sweaty palm over my mouth and shushes me. Then he draws his lips over my cheekbone to my ear. "We wouldn't want any interruptions." he whispers.


	8. Chapter 8

Now his hands are on my collar bones, 'oh god' I think 'i'm gonna throw up.'

Suddenly he shifts his weight slightly, my left hand is free. I don't even think, I just act. I grab the scruff of his neck and dig my nails in, then pull back, he screams in pain and stumbles backwards, now i'm ropable.

"Creep!" I scream at him, I run forward, lift up my hand and bring it as hard as I can over his face. I grab his shirt and yank it down to the ground, he stumbles but remains balanced. Now all I want to do is tear him apart, limb from limb. So I grab his hair and rip out a chunk, i've started and now I can't stop. I'm about to throw another punch when a rough hand pulls me back.

"Let go!" I scream at the district nine male, but he pulls me back and away from Lukas.

"Do you know what this asshole just did?"

"Pull yourself together!" he hisses.

I whip around to get a good look at him, he has short blonde hair and is wearing a ridiculous wheat tunic and shirt. He looks maybe seventeen but is a lot taller than the other tributes.

"We aren't going to tell anyone of this" he tells me, then turns to Lukas.

"If you" he begins "touch this girl, speak to this girl or so much as come near this girl again." He walks over and brings his face level to Lukas.

"I will rip out your organs and shove them down your throat, do you understand?"

Lukas looks mortified and hastily nods.

"Go!" he tells him, Lukas scrambles to his feet and sprints off as fast as he can.

"You too" he tells me, I pout and then walk off, i'm not scared of him, unlike that weasel Lukas.

I arrive back at the headquarters. The district four team is anxiously awaiting my arrival. I think they can sense i'm upset because Laura rushes over.

"Are you ok? What happened?" I look up at her and suddenly burst into tears. I quickly recap what happened through chokes and sobs.

"Im gonna kill him!" Says Carl, clenching his fists.

"Well normally I would say you can't" Vincenzo says, trying to lighten the mood "but seeing as you go into the games tomorrow, feel welcome to." I think Vincenzo thought it might make me laugh, but it just serves as a horrible reminder that tonight might be my last night alive, I begin to sob again. Lauren takes me to my room. She sits me down on my bed.

"I know your upset -" she begins.

"Upset? Laura, I just got harrassed! What's more? I'm going into the games tomorrow, i'm going to die tomorrow!"

I lunge at her, she backs away but instead, I wrap my arms around her in an embrace.

"You've been the best friend i've ever had." I whisper.

"In all my years as a stylist" she begins "I have never met anyone like you."

I look up at her.

"But who's to say that's a bad thing?" she finishes.

"Thank you." I say. She pulls me off her and cups my face in her hands.

"Now listen to me, when you get into the games you have to use every piece of knowledge and instinct you have. Your skills are your most lethal weapon." she winks at me "maybe you might get a bit of help along the way." this gets me thinking about Neive and Ava, how i could become allies with them, how I trust them for some reason. But then I realise, that if it comes down to it, i might have to kill them too.


	9. Chapter 9

I go to bed feeling considerably better, banishing the thought of the games out of my mind. I decide if this is my last night alive I want it to be a peaceful one so I close my eyes and drift off to a deep sleep.

"Josie! Josie wake up!"

I start awake and see Jeremy shaking me.

"Hurry, we have to get ready for the games."

I get out of bed and begin to get ready without argument, i've been through so much lately I feel I have no fire left. The capitol drained me so much that perhaps the games may be a lot more simple.

I laugh to myself about this idea and quickly brush my hair, then I head down to see Laura. As soon as i see her she embraces me, holding me tight.

"You'll do great, i'll see you soon okay?" she looks me right in the eyes. She really believes i can do it? "Okay." is say, "ill miss you laura" i hug her again.

"It will only be for a few weeks" she says

"Do you really think i can do it? That i can win?" i don't stop looking in her eyes

"Yes." we stand there for a moment, and then she pulls back,

"Your prep team is waiting in the prep room."

My prep team is not sad, they must be used to it, im sure im not their first tribute. They bathe me and scrub me down, wax every last hair on my body. They put my hair in two tight braids that end right at the top of my neck. I never thought my hair was long enough for braids, but this prep team can work miracles. I head down to the area were we will be deported to the arena, my heart hammers as I push open the door into the room.

Laura smiles and hands me my clothes, I quickly get changed, then she puts the dolphin hair clip in my hair.

"You'll do great" she tells me, I nod, trying to look confident, then head out the room and into a large concrete area were a hovercraft is awaiting.

I take a seat on the hovercraft and immediately cast my eyes around, I see Neive and Ava waving to me, they are sitting next to each other and chatting, but I catch the shadow of a fearful smile behind avas cheerful one. I look around to the left and see Anchita sitting next to Jenny, they're talking with the girl from elleven whose name I think is Sara.

"Decided to show up four?"

"Excuse me?"

Sienna grins at me.

"I thought you wouldn't bother, seeing as you won't last five seconds in the arena."

"Oh give up one."

I turn, surprised, the girl from eight is staring at Sienna icily, one eyebrow raised.

"What do you know eight!" Sienna hisses.

"Apparently a lot more than you, only a total idiot would go around making enemies before the games even begin."

Sienna grunts and looks away, I realise it's because she knows eight is right.

A peacekeeper comes around and installs our trackers. I wince slightly as she sticks the long needle into my wrist but keep strong.

I feel the hovercraft come to a halt and my heart hammers even harder, i'm mortified, I don't even know what i'm going to do at the cornucopia, let alone in the games themself.

The peacekeepers herd us out and we are each escorted to yet another room. This one is bland with nothing but a glass tube that will lift me up into the arena soon.

"Fifty seconds until launch."

I gasp and suddenly i'm overwhelmed with fear. 'I have to get out of here!' I think 'I have to escape!'

I scramble over to the door and grab the handle, twisting it this way and that. But it's locked from the outside.

"Thirty seconds until launch."

There is nowhere to go, nowhere to run, only the tube.

'Perhaps I could stay out of the tube and let the games begin without me' I think, but I immediately realise that would be suicide, 'but so would getting into the tube!' I scream internally. I bang my fists on the wall, letting a single tear streak down my cheek.

"Twenty seconds until launch."

I breathe deeply and turn to the tube.

"That" I say out loud "is my best chance of living." and before I know what i'm doing, before I can tell myself to stop i'm in the tube, the door has closed and i'm rising up and up to the light above.


	10. Chapter 10

It takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the light, but when they do I see im in a clearing, to the left lies a woodland, the right a mountain range and behind me is a beach. I see the cornucopia in front of me. Bags and weapons are scattered around, but the real treasure is inside.

I see Neive a couple of pedestals away from me, I try to catch her eye but she isn't looking at me. Her eyes are on a nearby bag, she has a fire about her i've never noticed before. I look up and see a bag only about seven metres away from me.

Suddenly the bell sounds and catches me off guard. The other tributes run to the centre. I quickly sprint to the bag but the girl from eight who defended me before grabs it first and runs off to the woods. I halt and look up, Jenny is already at the cornucopia with Ava and holding a throwing knife. Sienna is charging at them

"Look out I scream!" Jenny jumps and looks at me.

"Jenny!" Ava yells, Jenny whips her head around. But Sienna is almost at them. Ava snatches the knife and hurls it at Sienna, it hits her leg and she roars in agony, limping off to mountains as fast as she can go.

I hear a scream, Carl's scream.

"No!" I yell, but it's too late, Carl is by the Cornucopia, Lukas on top of him with a knife plunged deep into his chest.

"Carl!" I scream and sprint over, faster than I ever have before. I hurl myself at Lukas and knock him off, I get on top of him and begin punching him over and over in the face. He groans as bruises begin to form and blood dribbles from his mouth and nose. He tries to fend me off but I have his hands pressed to the ground.

"Josie!"

I momentarily look up and see Neive running at me, a sword in her hands. Ava is in the cornucopia grabbing as many resources that she can carry and Jenny is desperately fending off tributes, screaming at her to hurry up.

"Neive?" I ask, but she's rushing at me, a wild look in her eyes.

"Wait, I thought we were -"

She rams into me, knocking me off Lukas who is lying on the ground, eyes closed and breathing deeply. Neive quickly clambers up and points her sword inches from Lukas's face.

"Go!" she says "or I will kill you where you lie."

He clambers up and runs off to the woods were I see the female from eight waiting for him.

"Josie-"

"Carl!" I rush to his side. Tears prick my eyes as I analyze the multiple stab wounds on his chest and torso.

"Josie-" he tries again.

"Shh, it's ok, we'll get medical supplies from the cornucopia, we'll get you fixed up."

"No…" he tells me "d -don't waste your time."

"Carl don't be silly, you'll be fine."

"I went after Lukas -" he begins "because of what he did to you."

"Oh god Carl!" I wrap my arms him and he winces, but hugs me back.

By now most of the people have cleared from the cornucopia. I yell at Ava to bring over medicine, which she does.

"Why? What's wrong -"

Ava gives me a look of sympathy.

"Josie, I think he's beyond repair…"

"No! Don't say that!" I snatch the kit from her and grab some sterile wipes which I start dabbing on Carl's wounds. He winces but I keep on doing it, even though I can barely see through the tears.

"Stop" Ava tells me "your only hurting him."

"Josie" Carl says as I wipe my eyes "don't worry, I had no chance anyway." I sob and hug him again, he hugs back and we keep on hugging until his arms go limp and drop to the ground and I can't hear his little heartbeat anymore.

"..."

"...!"

"Josie!"

I shake my head and keep on crying, my face buried in the grass next to Carls body.

"Josie we have to get moving!" Neive shakes me and I shove her hands away, I climb onto my feet and stare at her icily.

"Why?" I yell at her, shoving her hard in the chest.

"Why what?"

"Why did you let Lukas get away?" Neive looks at the ground shamefully.

"He was from my district, I had to."

"No you didn't!" I scream, I throw a punch, she ducks. I throw another which hits her clean in the jaw, she stumbles back but not before the tip of her sword is pulled out and pressed against my nose.

"Neive!" yells Ava. Neive slowly lowers her sword and stares at me.

"I won't stop you next time, just like next time you attack me I won't hesitate to kill you."

I stare at her, angry but also feeling bad about our fight. Neive sighs.

"I'm sorry" she says, "I know Lukas is an idiot -"  
"Don't be, I would have done the same for Carl." I sniff and choke down a sob, then exile Carl from my mind, if i'm going to go home then I have to be able to move on from these kind of things.


	11. Chapter 11

Now i'm very aware of our surroundings. Bodies are scattered around us, I feel slightly nauseous but push the rising bile back down into the pits of my stomach. I see the boy from nine who helped me and lukas on the floor, a spear sticking out of his eye. I see the girl from five and the boy from six, all dead.

"We should grab the supplies we need and get going." Jenny tells us, I nod and we all head back over. I grab a backpack filled with food, water and medical supplies. I attach a sleeping bag to it and find a waterproof jacket which I slip on. Then I head over to the weapons and take a long spear off the wall. It's shiny and silver with a simple sharp blade. It feels light but when I throw it it cuts through the air like its made of air itself.

"You ready to go?" Neive asks me, I notice she's ditched the sword and instead is holding a lethal looking axe, I nod.

"Born ready."

Jenny looks at me quizzically but tells us we should head to the mountains.

"Why?" Neive asks "wouldn't the woods be safer?"

"No, I was watching the tributes, i'd say about sixty percent of them went to the woods."

"So? Don't we want to go kill some?" Ava asks.

"No, we want to let them kill each other, then kill them."

I for one know i'm confused, but decide to listen to Jenny and let her lead us off into the mountains, we make it so far when we hear the cannon shots. We stop to listen.

"I counted eight" Neive says, I look to Jenny.

"Same."  
We stand there in silence for a minute, honouring the fallen tributes then move on.

"Come on, we have to get moving" Ava says nervously.

We continue to hike for an hour until we reach a peak, there is no snow in sight yet but that doesn't stop it being cold. We empty out bags of all sleeping bags and blankets then huddle in a circle of bushes, Jenny agrees to keep watch and will wake me up later. I agree, happy to get some rest and curl up next to Ava, letting my mind wonder until at long last, I fall asleep.

"Josie!" I start awake, breathing heavily, Jenny is shaking me.

"Is it my turn to keep watch?" I ask groggily.

"No, don't freak out but someone's out there."

"What?" She clamps her hand around my mouth and presses her finger against her lips, despite the darkness I can see the fear in her eyes.

"Wake the others."

I nod and quickly shake Ava and Neive awake.

"Pack up" I tell them "we have to get moving." they seem to understand and roll up the blanket. We pack them into our bags as quickly as possible whilst Jenny peers out the bush, knife in hand.

"Which way?" I ask her once we have weapons in hand and backpacks on, the night air is even colder than that of the afternoon and our teeth chatter as we speak.

"Got you!"

we scream as the district three male, Nathan Trente Jumps through the bush and onto Jenny, he has a long gleaming sword in hand and lifts it above him ready to strike,

"No!" Ava yells, she tosses a knife at him, it hits his arm and he yells in pain and drops the sword. Neive grabs Jenny and yanks her away from him.

"Run!" she screams. We don't have to be told twice. The four of us scramble away as Nathan yanks the knife from his arm. He roars in fury and grabs his sword. He chases after us. Jenny is fast and has no problem getting away but Neive and I aren't so lucky. Ava and Jenny run ahead and soon we lose sight of them, we veer to the left but Nathan is gaining on us. I'm faster than Neive though, I take over her and run for a tree, then I hear her scream. I halt and turn around. Nathan has grabbed Neive and is dragging her backwards.

Suddenly it's like back in the capitol with Lukas, I don't think, I just act. I lift my spear and charge at him, screaming at the top of my lungs, I throw it and it hits him on the forehead, there is a sickening crunch as it hits him. He looks surprised, the furious, then dazed. He stumbles backwards and falls with a hard thud on the ground.


	12. Chapter 12

Neive escapes his grasp, her face and hair covered in blood from Nathans head. "What… what did i just do?" i say, looking down at my hands, i fall to my knees. "Don't worry Josie, this is the hunger games, you're going to have to kill someone." she kneels down to my level. "And besides, that guy Nathan, he wouldn't have hesitated to kill you."

"That's just the thing. I didn't hesitate. I didn't even consider i was taking his life away." i look at Neive.

"Listen, did you see him dragging me? He was probably gonna torture me, slowly rip every limb off me. He hunted us down, killed us by choice. You killed him quick, strait to the head, and to save me." she's right, about everything. This is the hunger games, i need to toughen up. After a moment, i pull myself together "C'mon" i say, standing up, let's go find the others. I yank my spear from Nathan's head. The crunch is excruciating, but i blow past it.

We treck for hours, the darkness is fading, and we start to get hungry. "It's no use waiting to find the others, we should start hunting" i get out my blow dart tube. Neive slaps the handle of her axe in her hand. We climb up a tree, and wait for some game. A turkey walks past, minding it own business, i put the tube to my mouth, and blow. The dart hits the turkey in it back, and it starts to slow, neive jumps down, and swings the axe through the turkeys neck. " aww yeah!" i whisper loudly throwing my hand up in the air. Neive does a little dance waving the turkey around. We end up catching about ten turkeys, and three squirrels, we also collect some berries and roots. By now we're tired so we settle down and build a fire. We cook the squirrels and by the time there done we're ravenous. I watch Neive as she basically inhales hers and reaches for another.

"I swear, nothing has ever tasted so good" she moans through mouthful.

"Not even the food from the capitol?" i question

"You see the problem is, food tastes about a billion times better when you're hungry, and in the capitol you're never hungry, they feed you so much."

We laugh and continue to enjoy the food, singing songs and telling stories from our districts.

"One time in district four, we had no food for days because the weather gave us bad fishing, my dad was so hungry I once walked in on him chewing the bedsheets!"

Neive howls with laughter.

"Well i'm not hungry now, these squirrells served us well."

"We should get some rest." I tell her, "tomorrow we should keep looking for the others, i hope they're ok." i look down

Now Neive looks uncertain.

"I don't know" she sighs

"What do you mean, 'I don't know'?

"It's the hunger games Josie, maybe we should just let them go their separate ways, we will have to kill them in the end anyway."

"So? If it comes down to it i'll kill you in the end!"

Neive looks surprised, as if she didn't expect me to say that.

"Your know i'm right" I say indifferently.

"Yes you are" she sighs, "but let's not think about that hey?"

"I'm sorry but it's true. I think we should find them, we have a better chance of winning. When there's less tributes, we can split up."

"Okay, i'll keep watch, ou get some sleep." she picks up her axe and sets her eyes to the trees. Do i trust her to keep watch? I'm so tired i can't be bothered to question it. I quickly fall asleep.


	13. Stop

I want to write a few one-shots with my characters so if you want to see some comment with a prompt and/or a ship


	14. Chapter 13

I wake up to Neive asleep next to me, her arms wrapped around her axe like a teddy bear. I laugh to myself at the sight of her. I take my spear and look around for food. Eventually I find a bush filled with berries, they are black and fat. I pick a handful and take them back to the sight were Neive is sitting up, groggy.

"Oh good!" she laughs "I thought you abandoned me."

"Of course not." I tell her, she smiles.

"I got breakfast" I tell her as I sit down, I show her the berries amd she looks at them curiously.

"That's nightlock" she tells me "they'll kill you."

"Oh."

She takes the berries from my hand and places them in the bag.

"We might be able to use them for something later."

"Good call."

Neive and I begin our trek further up the mountain in search for the others.

"Hey…" I ask, "didn't we pass that stone 20 minutes ago?"

Neive looks over and groans, she sits down on it.

"We've been going in circles!" she says, a little louder than usual. I glance up at the sky.

"Wow, it's getting dark already" I sigh, "we should set up camp." Neive nods and begins to unpack the sleeping bags. I find a spot behind a large rock to sleep. It's relatively flat and we're easily concealed. Plus the ground is littered with dry leaves so we'll get a few seconds warning if someone's coming. Together we finish off the meat then sit around the glowing embers of the fire. Suddenly the national anthem plays Neive and I look up as the faces flash on the sky. A load of tributes I don't know are dead, the district nine female, the district eleven male, all gone. I look back down, letting out a sigh of relief when Neive gasps and lets out a choked "No."

"What?" I ask, looking back up at the sky. My heart hammering. My mouth drops open as I see Jenny's face in the sky with 'district twelve' written below her portrait. A sob escape my lips as I bury my face in my hands. I had been so caught up in keeping myself and Neive alive, it hadn't crossed my mind to listen for canon shots. It hadn't occurred to me that Ava or Jenny might be dead.

"Let's go." Neive says. She sounds stoic but her voice wavers a little.

"What? Where?" I question, making no effort to hide the devastation in my voice.

"We have to go find Ava, she's by herself."

"Ava can fight." I protest, "you saw her with the knife and Sienna." Now i'm thinking of Sienna, I haven't seen her picture in the sky yet. She must still be out there with a knife jarred in her leg.

"That was more of a lucky shot." Neive sighs "besides she probably knows how Jenny… How Jenny -"

"I know!" I cry, "I know ok!"

"I'm sorry." she sighs, "but i'm going, you don't have to come."

"No!" I jump up, "I mean… don't… leave me." It may just be me but for a second it appears relief flashes over her face. She doesn't want to be alone either. We pick up our stuff and head of into the thicker part of the woods. The trees eventually block out the remaining light and we have to wait for our eyes to adjust.

A sob.


	15. Chapter 14

Neive opens her mouth but I shove my hand over it before she can make any sound. I gesture to our weapons. She nods and draws out her axe, then points to a particularly thick tree a few metres ahead. Careful not to make much noise we creep around it.

"Ava!" cries Neive happily once we're certain it's her. "Please don't cry -"

But Ava's not crying, she's unconscious, a large bruise on her head.

Another sob.

I whip around, "who's there?" I yell. "We're armed!" the crying stops abruptly. Leaves begin to crunch as they make their escape.

I rush forward and spring around a huge boulder where Sienna is desperately dragging herself away by her arms.

"You!" I cry, "it was you! You killed Jenny!" I poise my spear inches from her face. She narrows her eyes.

"Kill Jenny? I was hiding from Jenny! Just look what that idiot Ava did to my leg!" she shoves her leg forward, wincing a little from the pain. I gasp at the huge gash in her leg. Yellow pus oozes out of cracked scabs around the outside of it. Blood drenches her entire left pant leg.

"A knife did that?"

"Since you idiots got all the medical supplies my cut manifested into… this!" she gestures to her leg, I groan and look away. I feel nauseous just looking at it.

"Josie did you find anything?" Neive has come around the corner. She sees Sienna and screams.

"What in the hell did you do to your leg?" she cries. Shaking her head she lifts up her axe.

"No matter, you'll be dead soon anyway!"

"No!" I cry, jumping in the way "don't kill her."

"What?" Neive and Sienna ask in unison.

"We don't kill unless we have to" I tell Neive sternly. "She's not a threat, look at her, she's pathetic."

Neive snickers.

"And what are we supposed to do with her?"

"We treat her cut, Ava knows her medics."

Neive pouts, but I guess she doesn't want another dispute because she tosses her axe to the side. Sienna watches her, a small knife in her hand as she approaches.

"Get the medical kit!" Neive barks at me. I turn swiftly on my heel and rush off. Ava has the kit tucked under her limp arm. Being careful not to wake her I pull it out. Neive snatches it from me and begins to dab a disinfectant on Sienna. Sienna winces at the pain but Neive hisses for her to stop whining. Soon we have her cleaned up with her leg bandaged and bloody pant leg cut off. Neive picks her up and thrusts her onto her back. I silently wonder how Neive is so strong. Sienna is seventeen and Neive can't be any older than 15. It must be from years of lugging lumber around back home. We walk back around the rock and place Sienna over next to Ava. Neive reaches down and plucks the knife Sienna's holding out of her hand. Sienna curses at her but she ignores it and puts it in her backpack.

"We'll set up camp here tonight" she tells me. I nod and begin to gather firewood when I hear a groan. I whip around. Ava's eyes are slightly open. She looks up at me, but instead of her usual smile, a single tear drips down her cheek.


	16. Chapter 15

"Couldn't save her" Ava mutters. "He came, spear went straight into her heart, dead instantly."

"It's alright" I assure her. I dampen a cloth with some water and place it to the bruise on her head.

"No-" she sighs "it's not alright, because I killed him, then I ran into a tree."

"It's not your fault" I tell her "none of this is." she smiles weakly, then her eyes close and she drifts back into a sleep.

"Josie!" Neive hisses, "why aren't you gathering firewood?" I stand up tall and stare at her.

"What's your problem?" I growl.

"My problem?" she laughs "my problem is that your teaming up with - with her!" she points to Sienna who is asleep next to Ava.

"Teaming up?" I hiss, "Do you want to kill? There are lives at stake here and your treating them as if they're nothing!"

"Its the hunger games!" she's shouting now "it's either kill, or be killed!"

"Fine then!" I retort. I shove my spear into her hand and push her over to Sienna. "Be a coward then! We all know that your only targeting her because she can't walk! Weakling!"

Neive whips around and kicks me over. I land on the ground with a soft thud. My head flies back and it slams against a rock. I shot out in pain.

"Weakling then?" she asks, pressing her foot against my neck to hold me down. She points the spear to my forehead "let me prove you wrong."

"You wouldn't" I splutter "we're allies!"

"Oh I would" she growls, "after all, if i'm to win you'll have to die eventually. Better sooner than later."

"No!" Ava screams as Neive lifts up the spear, an insane glint in her eye. There's a deafening crack, then she topples to the ground. Ava stands above me, a bloody rock in her hand. I look over at Neive. She's sitting on the ground, blood leaking out of a gash on her head. She turns to me then scrambles backwards. Shakingly, she looks down at her hands.

"I -" she gasps "I don't know what came over me -"

Ava crumples to the ground. The amount of strength it must have taken to deliver a blow on that scale in her state is unfathomable.

"Tie her up" Ava mutters. Snatching my spear from the ground next to me, I back over to the bag, not taking my eyes off Neive. The wound in my head throbs but i'm choosing to ignore that. It's like my desire to survive is greater than pain itself. My hand fumbles around in the bag until it clasps around a thick rope. I draw it out and advance on Neive. She looks frightened but doesn't object when I tie her hands behind her back. I drag her over to a tree and fasten her around it.

"You - you aren't going to leave me here?"

"We'll see." I say coldly. The memory of her insane expression still fresh in my mind.

I spend the night alternating between sleep and tending to Ava and Sienna's injuries. When the sun rises I get up to go to the bathroom. I walk a fair way not wanting anyone to walk in on me. I choose a thick pine tree when suddenly I hear leaves crunching underfoot. I whip around only to realise I haven't brought a weapon with me. I curse at myself then put up my fists. I'm not that strong though.

"Chill out Jose, it's just me."


	17. Chapter 16

A shiver runs down my spine. Not of the cold but of pure terror, because I know that voice.

Lukas.

Before I can turn around a pair of strong hands grab my shoulder blades and shove me to the ground. I turn around to see him. He doesn't look nearly as handsome as he did back in the capitol. He is skinny and pale. Large bags are under his eyes and his dark hair is matted with mud.

"Fancy seeing you here" I smile, trying to sound calm.

"Yes" he laughs "I was hoping i'd see you before you got killed, guess the odds are in my favour, aren't they?"

"Uh huh" I agree as I begin to shuffle backwards. He narrows his eyes and lunges forward.

"This is it" I think "i'm about to die." But he doesn't stab me with the long shiny scythe attached to his belt. He grabs me and pulls me upright. Then I realise what he wants.

"Oh god no" I gasp. A malicious smile creeps across his lips as he pushes me against the tree.

"You wouldn't, it's the hunger games" I'm almost begging.

"Exactly" he grins "no rules."

Then he shoves his mouth against mine. My eyes widen as I desperately try to fend him off me. But he grips me tighter. I can feel his tongue trying to force its way through my sealed lips. His hands slide up my front, touching places that no one is allowed to touch. His body is pressed against mine, i try to pull away, but he holds tightly. Terror hits, and I scream loudly, at the top of my voice.

"Shh, Come on" he grunts "you know you want it."

"No!" I sob "no no no!" Lukas pulls his mouth off mine and for a second I think it's over. Then he shoves me over and reaches for the zip on his pants. Still grinning he approaches me.

"What are you going to do?" I cry.

"It could have been nicer than this" he smiles. "But you turned me down, so this is the only way!"

"You're crazy!"

"Crazy about you" he whispers seductively. He grabs my shirt, attempting to pull it up, i hold it down with all my strength.

"We're on TV!"

"Let's give them a show then, it'll be best if you don't fight it, just follow my lead."  
"You're disgusting!"

I feel a mixture of fear of what's about to happen and embarrassment that its happening on national TV. He's standing over me now. His eyes wide. But he isn't looking at my eyes.

"No district nine to help you now." he laughs.

Then he freezes. Blood. Warm, sticky blood. That's what he coughs all over me. I scream as he goes limp, an arrow lodged in his neck. And there, stands the girl from eight, his ally, tears rolling down her cheeks and a bow pointed at him.

"He was one horny son of a bitch" she manages a small laugh, then puts her bow away.

"Come on four, I saved your neck, let's go meet your allies then." I'm too grateful to object. But now I think about it, the gamemakers probably would have taken him out before he could do anything. Probably like the unspoken rule of no cannibalism they don't want two tributes getting it on.

I lead eight to the others. At the site of her Sienna grabs a knife and jumps up. But the second she's on her feet she winces and topples over again.

"Betrayed us then four?" she snarls, shooting Neive a strange look. For a second I think I see Neive grin slyly at her. But then her face is normal and I convince myself I imagined it.

"No" I reply cooly "eight here -"

"My name's Besinda" she corrects me.

"Right, Besinda here saved my skin, she's with us now."

"Did anyone ever tell you that you trust too easy?" Sienna grins.

"Better that then not trust at all" I retort.

"Perhaps not, it'll get you killed someday."

I grab my spear from the ground, being careful to show the shiny tip off.

"Watch your step one" I growl "you need me, don't you remember?"


	18. Chapter 17

Later on, when Sienna is resting and Neive and Besinda are making dinner with the food we caught hunting, trying to cooperate with each other, Ava shuffles over next to me. "How did Besinda save your life?" I gulp down, the memory already injecting fear through my body.

"It was Lukas. He… well he tried to kiss me… and he touched me and…" I look away, trying to fight the tears.

"Don't worry, I get it. Is he dead?" she takes my hand and holds it tightly,

"Yeah, arrow straight through the back."

"Good." Suddenly, the capitol symbol shows up in the sky, only three people died today, the girl from three, the guy from six, and Lukas. Ava sticks up her middle finger when his picture shows up. "Wait, Lukas is dead?" neive looks at the sky.

"Yeah, Besinda killed him, an arrow straight through his back." Sienna says. She had been listening in when we thought her to be resting.

"What! I knew i couldn't trust you Besinda! But this just confirms it!" neives eyes fill with anger.

"What do you mean? Lukas was a seductive dickhead, and murderer!" I shout,

"He was from my district! You didn't think to tell me our new, so called, ally was murdering my district tributes!"

I stand up and walk over to her.

"What has gotten into you?" I gape. I swear 24 hours ago Neive was a friendly companion. But it seems she's taken a leaf out of Sienna's book and has become a spiteful bitch.

"I'll tell you what's gotten into me" she growls, pointing to the sky. "Our friends, one by one are dying, first Jenny and then - then" i interrupt her

"You can't use that as an excuse! You were the one willing to kill them to win!"

"My god!" she cries slapping her hand to her head. "How stupid can you be? This is the hunger games, that's literally the whole idea!" she goes to her bag of stuff, and rests her head to sleep. I was right, she is a coward. If she wants to avenge her district team mate, she can go ahead. I'd beat her anyday.

Soon all the others eat and then head off to bed. I lie down but keep my eyes open. I don't trust Neive enough to be asleep around her.

"If I wanted to -"

I jump up and Neive snickers. She's on the other side of the dying coals. Here eyes closed but her mouth twisted into a grin.

"If I wanted to, I could crush everyone at this campsite within a matter of seconds. Just one hit to the head from my axe and you're a goner, you know that right?"

"Why?" I ask "are you taking this out on me?"

"I'm not" she mutters "i've just realised the weight of the situation and want you to as well."

"I have." Neive sits up and looks around to make sure no one else is awake.

"Let's take off, right now, they need us, they'll all die on their own."

"You want me to?"

"Yes! If we leave we can get a five hour head start." I stare at Neive disbelievingly.

"What happened to the girl from training?"

"She's right here -"

"No!" I cut her off "what happened to Neive Tayton from district seven, she never would have abandoned her friends. The hunger games have turned you into something you're not"

Neive narrows her eyes menacingly.

"I am me, I am all I ever need to be."


	19. Chapter 18

"No! You're not!" She screams and draws her axe. I jump up and grab my spear.

"You are supposed to be my friend!" she roars. "Real friends would come with me!" We are circling each other, I know Neive means business. We're both just waiting for the other to strike.

"Don't let the games manipulate you into something your not!"

"Shut up!" Neive screams "shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" she throws her axe at me, but I duck down and it hits a tree. I lift my spear up and toss it at her she rolls out of the way just in time. She runs forward and yanks the axe out of the tree. Lifting it above her head she smiles at me, before bringing it down at full force. I only reach my spear in a nick of time. I lift it in front of me as the axes blade makes contact. I bat it away and begin swiping at her. It scratches across her face leaving a deep cut. She roars in pain and begins ferociously swinging her axe, back forth, back forth I struggle to keep on blocking her attacks. Each one becoming faster and harder by the second. The tip of the axe slices my forearm. I can almost imagine the capitol on the edge of their seats. Oohing and Aahing at each strike. Egging either of us on depending on who they're putting their money on. This is exactly what they wanted, a show.

"Stop!" screams Ava "please stop!"

Neive turns to her wickedly and advances on her.

"Leave her alone!" I roar as I run forward. I throw my spear at full force and it slams into her shoulder. The long tip pierces the flesh and pokes out a little on the other side. She topples over as she screams in pain. Twitching in agony she rolls on the ground, hands clasped around the spear handle. Sienna hurls herself forward, I didn't even realise she was awake.

"What the -" she cries as she stares at Neive who is groaning in pain.

"In the hell did you do?" she shrieks, I recoil, confused.

"Since when were you two so close?" I spit. She flushes,

"we -were not." I spit on Neive.

"Worthless" I growl. Her eyes widen and she screams.

"Get over yourself" but Sienna has stopped too, her eyes wide. For a second she's still. Then she scrambles onto her feet. Only to topple back over. She sticks her fingers into the soil and attempts to pull herself forward, desperately screaming to run. Neive jumps up to and begins to sprint off too. Ava screams at me to run and I only just turn around when the tsunami sweeps me off my feet.


	20. Chapter 19

For a while, its all black, all I can feel is cold water around me, pushing me into trees and rocks. The blackness suffocates me, and I desperately start looking for something to grab onto. I find a long branch, and i pull my body onto it, the strong current makes it a challenge, but i get a good grip and pull myself to the surface, the air flows into my lungs. I gasp out of relief. A slight scream makes it way through the loud rushing of water. I see Ava nearby. The water pushes her and she struggles to keep her head above water, "Help!" she screams, i scream back at her so she doesn't waste her breath, "Ava! Over hear!" i pull myself to the edge of the branch, "grab my hand!" she attempts to swim over, the water has a vigorous current, and it doesn't like Ava. Eventually, she comes in arms reach and she grabs my hand, i pull her to the branch, she coughs, and breathes heavily. "C'mon, can you climb up this tree?" There are thick branches higher in the tree, further from the water, and high enough to see further around the arena. Ava nods and I help her stand up on the branch, hugging the tree.

We get to a thick branch about 6 meters from the water. We tie ropes around our waist connected to the tree, i make sure to tie mine extra tightly because it got wet in my backpack. We look through our supplies, to see what isn't ruined. All the bandages and medical stuff are soaking, and are no good until they dry, but neither Ava or I have any bad injuries, just a few small cuts and grazes. Although my arm is hurting from my fight from Neive, i use one of the bandages that was sealed in a medical box, which is only slightly damp, and i wrap up my arm. Although the rush of the water is loud, Ava and I are exhausted from the day, and i fall into a light sleep.


	21. Chapter 20

I wake with a start. The sun is rising off on the horizon and the rush of water brings back all of last night's events. I look down. There is no ground anymore, just a huge lake. I wonder if Neive or Sienna survived. I didn't hear any cannon shots but the rushing water could have easily masked them. Ava is beginning to stir as well, she awakes with a shout and nearly loses her balance. I grab her arm and steady her.

"Oh no!" she cries "the water's still here!"

"What's so bad?" I ask "it can guarantee us safety from the other tributes."

"No ground, no animals, no animals, no food, no food, no life!" she cries, clearly distressed.

"It's alright, it won't be a good games if we all starve to death." I stare down at the lake and see something dark blue swim down the stream.

"See, fish!"

Ava seems comforted by this. We help untie each others ropes then slowly descend the tree. We perch on a lower branch that's closer to the water. I put my hand in, the current isn't strong and the water isn't too cold.

"I can't swim" Ava admits sheepishly. Suddenly an idea occurs to me. I take Ava's pack and fumble around until I find a throwing knife.

"Careful." Ava tells me "we only have three left."

"Don't worry." I assure her. I scale the tree slowly. I never was a very strong climber and I don't want to fall. Finally I find a good spot and start carving away at the tree.

"What are you doing?" Ava asks me, looking worried.

"Don't worry!" I call down "won't be long!" Soon I have a large, thick square of bark in my hands. I pass it down to Ava as well as the knife then scale further up the tree, rapping on branches with my knuckles as I go. Eventually I find a long branch that sounds pretty hollow. I grab the end of it and snap it off easily. I drag it down the tree where .Ava is waiting, clutching the bark.

"Just tell me what you're doing" she sighs. I grab the knife off her and saw the log in half, sure enough, it's hollow.

I balance them on a particularly thick branch and tie the bark between them with rope.

"Ta - da!" I cry happily.

"A boat?" Ava asks "are you sure it'll float?"

"Only one way to find out" I laugh. I place it on the water, careful not to let go.

"It works!" I cry happily. Ava grins as she slowly steps down onto it. I follow and load our packs onto the back. Then I let go of the branch and let the current carry us downstream.


	22. Chapter 21

"Look!" Ava cries as we sail through the submerged woods. "Fish!"

Sure enough, large blue fish are swimming upstream, I immediately recognise them as bass. Back in four bass are everywhere. They're the main type that we catch.

I lift my spear and just as we pass them jab it into the water. There's a mighty splash and when I lift my spear a thrashing fish is attached to the end.

Ava and I eat the raw fish meat for energy. As the day passes by we catch many more and store them in a plastic container in our packs. By late afternoon we grab a branch of a tree and tie up the boat. We scale the tree and perch on top of a thick cluster of branches, feasting on raw fish and blackberries that we gathered from a bush we passed. Suddenly the anthem plays. Ava and I look up at the sky as the faces begin to flash. The district three female is dead, then Besinda's face flashes up in the sky.

"No!" cries Ava as she hugs me. I'm speechless, Besinda was such a survivor, she can't be dead.

"She saved my life you know" I whisper, silent tears rolling down my cheeks. Ava looks up at me.

"This is sick" she sobs "they can't keep on killing us like this!" Ava tilts her head up to the sky and to my horror begins to scream.

"Hey president snow! Why don't you get your tiny ass dick down here and give these games a try! I'd love to rip your throat out!"

"Ava stop!" I cry "they'll kill us!"

"They already have!" she sobs , she begins to scream again.

"If I get out these games i'll kill you! Slowly and painfully, that won't be fun! Will it?" I clamp my hand over her mouth, she sobs but stops yelling which is something.

"We should sleep."

Ava nods and takes a sleeping bag. I take mine and curl up, shoving the pain down into the pits of my stomach. I can't afford to mourn.

The night is cold and our clothes and sleeping bags are still damp. The days are also getting colder, maybe they're trying to freeze us to death. My mind races, trying to distract myself from ava's sobbing. My thoughts are interrupted by an announcement, that echos all through the arena. "Attention tributes, at sunrise tomorrow, there will be a feast held at the cornucopia. This is no normal feast, there is one bag of objects that every lone tribute needs. That will be all." the end note of the smug man's voice rings in my ears.

"Neive and sienna will be there" ava says.

"But what if they got hurt?" i question,

"All the more reason. They probably need that stuff more than we do."

"All the more reason to get it first" i smirk.

We set off on the boat, catching fish on the way. I start to get nervous, i'm solely depending on how hurt they got during the tsunami. "here, you have the knives, i have my spear." i hand her the one i borrowed earlier. "But what if you lose your spear?" she concerns,

"There will probably still be weapons there, if no one else took them." ava shrugs her shoulders, "ok". There's sort of an elephant in the room, the fact that if we kill Neive and sienna, one of us has to die. I decide to worry about that later, right now i need to plan how to get the bag. When the cornucopia is close we find a tree hidden from sight to camp in. The rest of the day I plan our mission for the feast. Murder everyone.

As the day goes on the water begins to drain from the arena. Eventually leaving the muddy damp ground in its place. I guess they don't want everyone drowning before things get bloody.

Ava and I perch in the tree, concealed by a thick cluster of branches we watch people arrive, one by one. This is a good opportunity to see who is still alive as well. The district two male is here. Both tributes from five are here, they seem to have made an alliance. The district eight male is here too.

I open my mouth to speak but Ava shushes me and points at the ground below us. I look down and see the district eleven and district two females hiding behind a bush directly below us. I freeze.

Very slowly Ava leans in.  
"It would be a good time to take them out." she gestures to her knife. For a second I see her point but then I remember my thoughts about the two female at the scoring, I can't.

"No" I reply, "maybe we should show ourselves."

Ava considers this. I know what she's thinking because i'm thinking it too. If one of them kills Ava then I won't have to.

Suddenly I hear footsteps. Not normal footsteps but irregular, injured footsteps. And there's only two people that aren't at the feast yet.

I open my mouth before I can stop myself.

"Hey" I whisper shout "hey!"

Eleven jumps and looks up. She nudges Anchita who hisses at her to be quiet.

"One and seven" I whisper, pointing in the direction of the footsteps. Eleven seems to understand and whispers something to two. She looks up and notices us. I gesture for them to come up the tree. They quickly grab there packs and scale upwards. Eleven arrives first, then two.

"Thanks" she smiles "we could have been dead meat."

"No problem, i'm Josie by the way."  
"I'm Anchita, this is Bipsara."

"Shh" Bipsara hushes us and points down because Sienna has just stumbled into the spot were they just where. Her leg looks worse than ever, flesh at the edges of the wound has been ripped off. Puss seapes out and there are thick black scabs within it. Bipsara groans and looks away.

"There's no way she can outrun the other tributes with that leg" Ava points out, "maybe she'll get finished off by that girl from five, she looks like she means business."

I see Ava's point. A part of me hopes that she'll get killed here, that way she won't be our problem anymore.

Suddenly I see something in the bushes close to us. Eyes, two blue eyes with that iconic green around the pupils, Neive's eyes. And they're staring straight at us.

I intake a sharp breath, she knows where we are, I can only hope that the tsunami damaged her too much to get up here to us.

She stands up and creeps over to Sienna. I want to swear at the top of my lungs because all Neive has suffered from is a black eye and a large cut on her cheek.

"We need to climb" I whisper to Anchita, she nods and begins to scale up the tree. Bipsara follows, then Ava and I. We continue to climb until we reach the flimsy branches at the top. We don't dare climb further because we can't risk falling.

A whirring noise catches us by surprise. I peer through the leaves and see a platform rising out of the ground at the mouth of the cornucopia.

"Ok, two of us should go, we'll meet the others up the other side of the cornucopia.

"Why only two?" Bipsara enquiries.

"We don't want to reveal too much about us, we don't want people to know we have such a big alliance formed this late in the games." I explain.

"Also we'll be a larger target" Ava points out.

"Right, well who's going." Anchita asks.

"The better fighters will go in, the more stealthy will go around the edge." I explain, so me and Anchita basically." Ava and Bipsara don't protest as Anchita and I grab our weapons and shuffle around the tree. We climb down, careful to avoid Neive's prying eyes. We plant our feet on the ground with a soft thud. Anchia is equipped with a sword and I still have my trusted spear. It's long slender handle feels so familiar that I wonder how i'll go back to the rusty old tridents back in four. I gasp, that's the first time i've allowed myself to think about going home. The thought feels fresh and unfamiliar. Do i really think i'm going home, can it really happen?

"You ready?" Anchita asks, I nod.

"Ok, three, two, one."


	23. Chapter 22

Anchita and I charge through the bush and out into the open. Anchita is fast, we race forward and reach the table just as an axe wizzes forward and lodges into the cornucopia. Anchita gasps as blood drips down her cheek. A large cut has been made by the axe. I grab the bags marked two, four, ten and eleven just as the district five tributes run towards us. Grabbing Anchitas hand I make a run for the other side of the cornucopia. The district five male runs after us, he is fast and he has a huge knife. I look back and wave my spear in the air in the direction of Bipsara and Ava. five catches up and swings his knife at Anchita's direction. I lift my spear and block the knife, the blade clashes with my handle, he pulls back, he swings the knife behind his head and i knock it out of his hand. Anchita takes the chance plunges her knife in his heart. She looks down at him for a moment, contemplating what she just did, then she looks up, and puts and angry expression on her face. "C'mon" we continue running out of the clearing. I turn my head and see that Neive has reached the cornucopia and her axe. She sprints towards us, an insane glint in her eye. I've never seen her run so fast. The girl from five manages to dodge a swing from her axe and run off to the treeline, she probably hates us now. We killed her ally. Bipsara and Ava are now only a few metres in front of us. Waiting in anticipation.

"hurry up!" Ava screams when she sees us. Beads of sweat form on my forehead as I try to run faster than I already am. Anchita races ahead and meets Ava and Bipsara. She turns and draws her sword, ready to fight, ready to kill.

Then I trip.

I fly face first into the muddy ground. Turning around I see that Neive is gaining on me. She lifts her axe above her head and laughs. I close my eyes, ready for the end.

But it doesn't come.

"Hey!" someone roars, I turn to see the male from eight running at full speed towards Neive. In his hand he's holding a sickle. Its long curved blade looks unforgiving and painful.

"You killed Curtis!" he screams at Neive, her eyes widen as she begins to back away.

"No! No two killed him! Not me!"

"Liar!" he roars. Neive turns on her heel and sprints off to the treeline, dropping her bag marked seven. She scampers up the tree so quickly you would wonder if she was even there in the first place. I watch her scale it. She circles the tree like a squirrel would, perching on a branch, then running across it, despite the fact it couldn't have been more than 10 centimetres wide. Hoping that eight will finish her off I run over to the bushes and begin to sprint off, my allies by my side.

We run for a solid fifteen minutes. Eventually collapsing on the ground, gasping for breath. We lie on the ground, staring at the darkening sky.

"I don't feel safe in trees anymore." I eventually say.

"Why?" Bipsara asks, I sit up.

"Did you see Neive, god she's stronger in a tree then she is on land!" I hit my head. "She could have taken us out in an instant, all those times…"

"Don't worry about it" Bipsara looks around, "we'll build a shelter."

"Ok but can we please open the bags, the suspense is killing me!" Ava jumps in. I can tell she's been trying to remain quiet the whole time.

We each take our bags marked with our district number.

"What?" Anchita utters confused because in her large gray bag is a tent, not just any tent. A tent that reflects body heat to keep you warm.  
"No way!" Bipsara cries happily, unable to believe our luck."

Ava what's in yours?" Anchita asks, a hint of excitement in her voice. Ava opens her medium sized pack to find a brand new luxury green jacket with fluff around the hood and everything.

"Great!" she cries, taking off her old tattered cardigan and slipping on the new jacket. She brings the hood around her head and smiles broadly at us.

"And more knives!" she cries happily pulling out four more throwing knives. Bipsara opens her pink pack to find a large pot.

"What?" she asks, clearly confused.

"They had those in the capitol" Anchita tells her, "there's a switch on the side. It cooks anything you put inside it perfectly!" Sure enough a large switch is located on the side. Bipsara flicks it and begins to steadily whir.

Now it's my turn. I study my bag. It's blue and has a large four written on the side in bold black letters. It's medium in size. I reach for the zip and open the bag. Inside sit a pair of sturdy black boots. They have black fluff around the top and strong leather laces, snow boots.

"Snow boots?" I ask, but the capitol answers for me because the second the words escape my lips, it begins to snow.

This is the first time i've ever seen snow. Back in district four, we were at the beach and the weather there was warm all year round. the small snowflakes fall on my face and they pinch my skin. My shoes that i'm wearing now are tattered and have holes in them. They are still wet from the tsunami and they don't keep my feet very warm. "Well i don't think that was a coincidence" Bipsara says. Anchita grabs her tent and walks around for a while. Eventually she chooses a spot between two trees.

"Anyone know how to set up a tent -" but she's cut off because the tent springs up and knocks her off her feet. She sits up, laughing. Then she gets up quickly because a white carpet of snow has settled on the ground and her bare forearms must be freezing.

We get into the tent and immediately. It begins to heat up. We unpack our five sleeping bags and climb inside. Grateful for the tent, we drift off into a peaceful sleep.

I'm the first one awake. The tent is toasty warm and spacious. I climb out of my sleeping bag and hungrily dig around in a pack for some food. All I come up with is an apple though. I eat it and take my spear, slip on my new boots and borrow Ava's jacket. I wince as I run my fingers through my matted hair. Actually matted might be an understatement. It's just one huge dreadlock. I lift my spear and squeeze my eyes shut as I slice off my hair. It falls to the floor in a sandy blonde chunk. I touch the edges. It's just below my ears now, all the better, it won't get in my face anymore.

I reach for the zip of the tent and draw it downwards. A pile of snow spills into the tent. I peer outside to see the entire forest coated in a thick layer of fine white powder. I step outside, it's stopped snowing now and the sun is temperature is still freezing, and it's going to take a long time to melt. I push this thought aside and step outside. The snow in front of me flickers, a white hare runs away. I run after it and toss my spear, it skewers the hare, it's dead in an instant. I jog over to the hare, the snow around it is slowly turning red. I grab the dead hare and skin it. When I come inside the others are all up. I show them the skinned rabbit and cook it in Bipsara's pot. It only takes five minutes and soon we're all tearing the tender meat off the bone with our teeth. Bipsara finishes hers off first and walks off to the packs, telling us she's looking for something else to eat. Ava, Anchita and I chat together, our conversation is lively. I can tell that the long sleep has done them well.

Suddenly our conversation is cut off by a loud noise, a cannon shot. Ava jumps up.

"Who do you think that was?" she peers out the tent, "the boy from two -"  
Anchita screams. My heart pounds, whipping around I see why. Bipsara, dead on the ground with the nightlock berries I had completely forgotten about in her hand, a smear of red juice on her bottom lip.


	24. Chapter 23

I collapse onto my knees, another one dead, this time an ally - no! - a friend. Anchita sobs loudly and grabs her dead body, hugging her in a tight embrace.

"No, no, no! Please don't be dead please!" she cries, almost screaming. But Bipsara is beyond return, her body limp, her heart silent.

The following half an hour passes by, blurred by tears and sobs. Eventually Ava comes forward and pries Anchita off her dead body. She drags Bipsara out and places her in the snow outside. Anchita rushes after and tries to grab her off her but Ava sternly tells her that it doesn't matter, there's no bringing her back. I walk forward and beckon Anchita over. Anchita runs her fingers through her dark hair, then begins to braid it around her head in a crown like hair style.

"This was the way she wore it at the reaping" Anchita sighs. I put my hand on her shoulder, she turns to me, tears filling her dark eyes. I nod, I can tell she knows that I understand. I get up and trudge through the snow to a nearby tree. The snow has melted slightly here and a single white and purple flower pokes through. I pluck it from the ground and walk back to Anchita. She tucks the flower behind Bipsara's ear. She hugs her body one last time, then we step back and let the hovercraft take her away, back home to district eleven.

Once the hovercraft is gone there is an awkward silence. Everyone just takes in what happened. "We should pack up camp, head off further from the cornucopia, the guy from district two could still be there." i say, "or Neive and sienna mind you." everyone looks up, "sienna? It would be a surprise if she was still alive, her leg has probably fallen off." ava says. That reminds me, no one took any notice to the bag marked one, sienna might have gotten it, and it could have had medicine for her leg.

"Neive was with her" Ava points out, "I think they're working together." I groan and rub my temples. An alliance between possibly the two most deadly people in the games would not end well for me. Anchita pats me on the shoulder, she's done her mourning, but her eyes are still red and puffy.

"Bip would want us to get moving" she chokes out. Ava goes with Anchita to put down the tent and I count on my fingers the remaining tributes.

"The boy from two, Neive, Sienna, Ava, Anchita, the girl from five and me" I mutter "that makes seven." I sigh and bury my head in my hands, with each day my allie's death comes closer and closer. It's probably best that we head off to where the rest of the tributes are. If Sienna, Neive or two kills them off it will save me a lot of pain.

"Come on" Ava tells me. I pick myself up, it's begun to snow again so I give Ava her jacket back and Anchita layers up in all our flimsy jackets. She looks funny, the may jackets restrict her movement so she almost waddles. Ava makes a point of telling her she looks like a duck, but neither Anchita or I know what that is, so she drops the joke.

We walk for half an hour until we reach the golden horn in the clearing. We haven't had much to eat so Ava skewers a wild turkey. We sit by the treeline and skin it, then put it in Bipsaras pot. Once again the meat is perfectly cooked, greasy and flavorsome we finish it in a matter of seconds, licking the grease off our fingers.

"Shh" Anchita hushes suddenly. We freeze, movement, in the cornucopia. Very slowly we get up and creep around the treeline until we reach the open mouth. We see the girl from district five sitting in the middle, throwing knives at a wall. At first it looks intimidating, but if you look for a few more seconds you can see the knives fall to the ground when they hit the wall, and her technique is poor. She looks over in the direction of the mountain that we took refuge in at the start of the games. Two figures are running towards the cornucopia. Quickly, we duck behind a tree just as they come into view. Neive and Sienna, they arrive at the cornucopia and begin to tell five about what happened up there.


	25. Chapter 24

"Slow down" she sighs, "did you find them or not?"

"Not, but we know they aren't in the mountains, that narrows down there whereabouts, they can't stay hidden forever." Sienna assures her.

"Yeah, it's only a matter of time until the game makers get bored" Neive adds. Sienna smiles maliciously at her and for a moment I want to rip their throats out. Neive, the sweet girl in training, my ally, my friend. I don't understand what happened to her. But again I guess that no one can have there friend killed and walk away unharmed. Tears fill my eyes at the memory of Jennys face in the sky and the anthem blaring throughout the arena.

"Are you going to go look for them again today?" five asks. Sienna shakes her head. She sits down on the ground of the cornucopia and begins to sharpen her sword. I steal a glance at her leg. it looks better than before, but it still has a big scab that peels in some places, and it looks painful. Mia goes back to where she was and starts sharpening her knives, Neive sits down next to sienna and whispers something into her ear, sienna laughs, and nieve says something a bit louder, that i can't make out. But mia's face drops as soon as sienna starts to snicker. Sienna says something back to naive, i can only make out the words 'rip' and 'slaughter' and mia's face shows complete and utter terror. "What on earth are you talking about?" mia asks. Neive turns to mia, and glares at her with the most deadly stare. "Mind your own business five." she grits her teeth as she speaks. Mia's face turns red,

"I'm gonna go get some food" she brings her knife with her. The snowfall has stopped now but Mia takes some snow boots with her. She trudges through the fresh powdery snow straight towards us.

I begin to panic, if she comes she'll see us and no doubt alert the others. But we can't run away either. The fresh snow snags our boots and makes a quick and stealthy escape next to impossible. I grip my spear tighter, readying myself for combat, our best bet is to kill her before she can so much as exclaim.

She grows ever closer, muttering angry words to herself that the capitol is no doubt sensoring out. Ava takes a step back, five comes around the tree and freezes.

She only has time to mutter one thing, "oh" before I spear her square in the chest.


	26. Chapter 25

She gasps and lets a small whimper of pain escape her lips before she stumbles backwards. I yank my spear from her torso as she collapses on the snow. The cannon fires and Neive jumps up. She looks around and spots five dead body lying in the snow. As quick as anything she has her axe and is bolting towards us, Screaming at Sienna that we are here, that it's time to kill us. I hear the scrape of metal as Anchita draws her sword. I quickly wipe the blood off my spear on my shirt and jump around the tree. Ava and Anchita follow, determination written on there faces. I bolt at Sienna who is faster than Neive and has nearly reached us. My spear meets Siennas sword and she draws away.

"You shouldn't have come here"! She growls, "it's a suicide mission."

"Get over yourself!" I cry "the games are a suicide mission!"

"Only if you don't know how to play them!" she roars. She lunges at me and I only just block her attack in time.

"We helped you! Tried to heal you, but you betrayed us!" I reason, my teeth gritted in concentration. Her sword and my spear are up against each other, and our faces are centimetres apart. "Listen to me" she whispers, "i only betrayed you to get on neives good side" she looks around, "i saw the psychopath grow inside her, and i knew she was strong." my mind races, is this some sort of joke? "Neive is going to kill you all-"

"That's not true!" I cut her off, because part of me still wants to give Neive a redemption. I still want us to be friends. Sienna's pointed sword grazes my arm. I jerk back but she grabs the collar of my shirt and yanks me towards her.

"It is true, Neive told me in district seven everyone thinks she's crazy but she doesn't know why. She only became friends with you for an easy kill." Suddenly everything i've ever known about Neive comes piecing together. It explains her dramatically changed behaviour, how stupid I was to believe she was actually nice.

"Why are you being nice then?" I ask, swallowing my emotions. Sienna sighs.

"In district one we are trained to fight from the age five. I was the worst in my class and never really wanted to go into the games. But my parents, my sister, they were starving. I thought if I won…"

"I understand" I assure her. "But that doesn't explain why you were so awful to us."

"I… I guess I wanted to intimidate you, look mean for the cameras." she sighs. Quickly she lifts up her sword.

"Now we need to fight, before Neive gets suspicious." I nod and raise my spear. Once again we begin to fight. No doubt the capitol were playing some kind of action music to block out our conversation, they can't have tributes getting all chummy this late in the games.

I slash Siennas shoulder and she yells out in pain. The tip of her sword slices the flesh on my calf. I make a few fake lunges at her heart, deliberately missing. She gives me a shallow cut on my cheek. But I pretend to be hurt and retreat. I run back over to the tree were fives body, I think her name was Mia has been retreated. All that remains is a splash of red on the white snow.


	27. Chapter 26

I scan the area for Anchita, Ava or Neive but I can't see them. Suddenly i'm terrified. While Sienna and I were having a nice little chat they were off, possibly getting killed. Furious at myself I bolt out from behind the tree, ignoring the wounds on my leg, arm and face. Sienna is gone as well. I hunch over in the snow, giving myself a second to gasp for breath. Then I continue to run, screaming Avas name. I stop to listen and from the treeline I hear a soft moan in response. I bolt off in the direction that the noise came from. Stumbling through trees, letting pointy pine needles dig into my skin, all I care about is Ava. Is she ok? Is she dead? Is it because of me? I stumble into a small clearing and lying on the ground I see Anchita, knocked unconscious with a bruise beginning to form on the side of her head.

"Anchita!" I cry, rushing over to her side. She moans Ava's name and rolls over. I whip my head around and to my horror, notice a trail of blood leading into a bush. I jump up and follow the trail, leaving Anchita behind, asleep and unaware. I shove the bushes aside and follow the blood trail. What could they have done to hurt her this badly? I follow the trail around a huge tree and nearly trip over the sobbing bloody heap that is Ava.

"Oh my god!" I cry, slumping onto my knees beside her. I wipe the blood from her eyes and she looks up at me, pained and tortured. I choke down a sob, gashes are all over her body, blood dribbles from her mouth and a few of her fingers have been cut off.

"Stay strong Josie" I hiss at myself. I have to stay strong, for Ava.

"What did they do to you?" I ask. She simply groans, in horror I realise she is in absolute agony.

"Oh i'll tell you what we did" a cruel, snarky voice replies from behind me. I whip around, spear tight in hand. Neive laughs, a cold, menacing laugh.

"You're going to kill me then? Just like you tried to before? When you failed!" she draws that last word out so maliciously that I shudder.

"Ava was my friend, your friend!" I choke out, finally letting the tears roll down my cheeks. Ava was with me since the start, and now i'm going to lose her. Just like I lost Jenny and Besinda and Bipsara. Just like the hundreds of children that have died over the years in these wretched games.

"I don't do friends" she spits in response, "I thought you would have figured that out, since your buddy Sienna told you everything!"

Sienna! I whip my head around and suddenly I see her, tied to a tree behind a bush, her mouth covered with a cloth.

Suddenly im furious, this girl that I trusted, protected, it's all her fault, if Ava is to die, then let her be avenged. Neives eyes widen in fear as I lunge at her, screaming awful insults. My newfound rage gives me strength I never knew I had. She falls to the ground and I land on her chest, winding her. She screams for help but she tied up Sienna and butchered Ava. no one can help her. I scream louder than I ever have before and lift my spear. I bring it down, not into her heart but into her face. She roars in agony but I draw out the blade and stab her again, and again, and again until shes a screaming bloody wreck. All I can think about is vengeance, let Ava die knowing that the monster that was responsible is suffering a much worse fate. Now im stabbing her all over the body. Her arms, her legs. She's stopped screaming and started sobbing, begging me to stop. I don't though, I continue to hack at her flesh. I stop for a second to catch my breath and then, with one final stab her heart has been pierced and she lies dead on the ground, the sound of a cannon ringing in my ears.


	28. Chapter 27

I look over to sienna, she sits at the tree and stares at the ground, she looks deep in thought. I contemplate what to do with her, should i kill her? I walk over to her, and take off the cloth on her mouth. "Wow, i've seen some pretty nasty stuff throughout the games, but what you did to neive, dang that was something."

"Shut up sienna! I literally could kill you right now." i wave my spear at her.

"But are you?" a smirk comes across your face, "i am the one that gave you intel o-" she is interrupted by a huge shouting noise coming from nearby. I look through the trees to see the district two male running away from some sort of huge brown wave coming towards him. The wave gets bigger and overtakes him, he is engulfed by the brown substance. He screams, but his head disappears. The wave gets closer and closer. I immediately start to untie sienna's ropes. I only just hear the sound of a bomb over the roaches crunching. "Quickly! Run! Get outta here!" i shout as i untie them.

"But what about you?" she shouts.

"Don't worry about me i have to get anchita, go go go!" i finish tying the ropes and she bolts away. I head in the direction of anchita. The wave gets closer, and i realise that it isn't a liquid, it is billions and billions of cockroaches. Well, the capitols mutated version of cockroaches. They are much bigger, and they seem to have way more legs, and huge teeth stick out of their mouths. The district two male was eaten alive. I start to swerve away from the wave, it gets closer and closer. I recognize where anchita was lying, and i know i'm near. "Anchita! Anchita!" i scream over the crunching of roaches. I listen out for her.

"Jo...josie?" i hear her nearby, it sounds like she is just waking up.

"Anchita! Anchita run! Now" the beatles are only a few meters away. I see anchita in the distance, she is still in the ground, she looks injured. "Anchita go!" suddenly a huge wave of roaches crashes in front of me, and my vision of anchita is blocked. all i hear is a short scream. I run the other way, the opposite direction of the roaches. I sprint for my life. I hate bugs. I don't hear the bomb, but i assume it was drowned out by the roaches.

It seems like an hour has passed and the roaches are down in numbers. They slowly crawl away, into different parts of the arena. I safely climbed on top of the cornucopia, where the surface was too slippery for the few lasting roaches to climb. Over the passing time, i think about anchita, and what a brave person she was. I don't mourn, for i know that she will be with Bipsara now. Night falls, and i see the faces in the sky, the boy from two, anchita, neive, and ava. Sienna is still alive. There is only two left.


	29. Chapter 28

How am I going to kill her? That's the first thing I think. After what she told me, er she spared me, after she asked if I would be Ok. It seems unreal that Sienna would be the one I dreaded killing. I bury my face in my hands. The ground below the cornucopia is still swarming with the disgusting bugs. I realise it's because of my wounds, they smell blood. My backpacks are over by the treeline but the cockroaches have stripped it bare, they've eaten everything, even the plastic containers. Night has fallen and the air is becoming increasingly cold. Small flakes of snow begin to fall and I curse myself for not taking Avas jacket from her body. Ava! My mind replays the events of the day. I feel a sense of satisfaction, guilt and horror at the thought of what I did to Neive. I know that deep down she was insane. I had heard so from Sienna. Everyone in district seven knew as well, the only person that didn't know was Neive. I'll be sure to apologize to her parents in the victory tour.

The victory tour! That's the first time i've allowed myself to freely think about winning. I have to remind myself that the games aren't over and i'm lucky to have even made it into the final two. At least I can rest assured that this time tomorrow the games will be over, disregarding if i'm alive or dead. I curl up on the cold, shiny surface of the cornucopia and slowly drift off into a restless sleep.

In my dreams I see the four tributes that died today. Two, Anchita and Ava all sit huddled in a test lab. Behind the glass screen stands a woman in a white coat, no, a girl. She laughs and pushes a brown button. She laughs as the three tributes scramble against the door. Suddenly a huge swarm of cockroaches bursts into the room. They scream and run to the glass, hitting it with their fists. The vile bugs engulf them and I listen as they scream and scream until they can't anymore. The girl laughs again and turns to face me. I scream because it's Neive but her face isn't normal. It's been slashed at, reduced to a fleshy, bloody pulp. All that remains untouched is her eyes, those piercing blue - green eyes that stare past your face into your soul.

"You did this!" she cries in a croaky, monster like voice that is nowhere near her own. She points to the retreating bugs.

"You killed them, just like you killed me and the boy from three and Jenny and Besinda!"

"N - no!" I choke out, but Neive is advancing at me. I back away but she lays her bloody hands on my face and brings her monstrous one to inches from me. Bile rises in my throat and I begin to sob.


	30. Chapter 29

I jerk awake with a scream. My palms are sweaty despite the cold and tears streak my cheeks. I allow myself to catch my breath. The sun pokes over the horizon, today is the day, I can feel it.

I look down at the ground. The bugs appear to have dispersed so I drop onto the ground. The gruesome image from my dream still haunts me. So I clutch my spear tight, it's the only thing that I still have on me. I distract myself from the nightmarish images swimming around in my head by spearing a rabbit that wandered too close. I don't care about the risk of fire so I start one anyway. Once the rabbit is cooked through I pull it out the fire and sink my teeth into the greasy meat.

"Mind if I join you?"

I give a curt nod and Sienna sits down beside me. The fire has thawed out the snow in a two metre radius which gives us some dry ground to sit on. I hand her a chunk of meat and she gratefully takes it.

"What brought you back here?" I question once i've swallowed the meat. Sienna laughs.

"Well it is the games, we have to fight sooner or later, I thought i'd do it in my own time instead of the capitols." I raise and eyebrow.

"So why aren't you killing me?"

"Because i'm starving" she rips off another chunk of meat with her teeth and swallows it whole. I manage a laugh, I can't believe that the girl who would insult and spit on me is now chatting with me like best friends would. We sit in silence for a while, the only sound being my loud chewing. Sienna looks at me and grins.

"They didn't teach manner back in four?" I nod as a bit of grease drips down my chin. She laughs at me and then does an over exaggerated impression of what I eat like.

"Hey!" I laugh through a full mouth, well at least I don't inhale my food. Sienna smiles and gets up, picking up her sword.

"You done, we should probably just get this over and done with." I swallow my food and get up, taking my spear I nod. Sienna gives me a pat on the back.

"I don't really like getting all sentimental and all but I have to say…" she swallows "I think you're pretty… cool."

"I know, I know" I flick my short hair over my shoulder and she laughs.

"So we'll just fight and whoever wins wins?" I ask, she nods and takes a few paces back, already her expression is hardening in concentration. I turn the point of my spear in Sienna's direction. She lifts her sword and we charge at each other. Our blades clash together. I withdraw my blade and take another swing at her. She dodges and rolls across the ground. Picking herself up she charges at me. I deflect her attack and send her stumbling backwards. My breath is visible in the air in front of me. I breathe heavily and run at Sienna again.

"Don't go easy on me?" I gasp as I jab at her. She dodges again as if it's nothing. I yell out and begin to stab in her direction over and over again. Each swipe I take she dodges with ease. She brings her sword down and it slashes my cheek with one swift movement. I yell out in frustration and toss my spear at her. She jumps to the side and it lodges in a tree. I gulp as she advances on me, a hard, cold look in her eye. I scramble back until my back is pressed against the cornucopia. She lifts her sword and I close my eyes, preparing for the end.

She laughs.

"You didn't think I really had the heart to kill you?" I open my eyes and find her sword lowered and a weak smile on her face.

"D - don't you want to win."

"Not really" she sighs "I don't deserve it, you spared my life, saved me despite me being a total bitch to you, if anyone deserves to win it's you"

"All the more reason to kill me, give them a good show." I reason. Sienna smiles.

"All the more reason to do this" and to my horror she lifts her sword up and slashes it deep across her throat. She lets out a small gasp of pain.  
"Tell your parents I said hi" she whispers in a weak voice,

"sienna no!" i scream, then she falls to the ground, a cannon fires and the anthem begins to play. Claudius Templesmith announces me as the winner of the ninety ninth annual hunger games and I am lifted away, still screaming at Sienna to come back to me. I only stop screaming when they inject me with something and I drift off into a nightmare filled sleep.


	31. Chapter 30

I jerk awake about a few hours later. I'm back in the capitol in a sterile white room and lying in a matching white bed. I've been scrubbed clean, my scars from the arena have been erased and feeling my hair I find it's been cut in a stylish pixie cut. I run my hands over my face, it's smoother the it has ever been before.

Suddenly the arena comes flooding back to me, Neive, Ava, Anchita, Jenny, Besinda, Bipsara, Anchita and Sienna. There deaths, Sienna's being the most recent and the most vivid.I pull the covers over my face and try to shut out my memories but they follow me. I itch my skin until red sores appear, I don't feel clean despite my immaculate condition. I can still feel Sienna, Neive and Ava's blood splattered on my hands and face. I can taste it in my mouth and hear there pained groans ringing in my ears. I clutch my hands over my ears and scream until a capitol woman runs in and gives me some medication. I feel dizzy, lie back down and fall asleep again.

When I wake up i'm back in the district four quarters. I stare at the ceiling of an unfamiliar room, but when i sit up, i realise i'm in one of the victors houses in the victors village. The furniture is pristine and fancy. The bed is huge compared to my old one, and very comfortable compared to trees and hard ground in the arena. The thought of my old house reminds me of my parents. How they didn't come to say goodbye to me.


End file.
